PENSACOLA -- Charlie Ward's efforts to reach area youth began Saturday with a large wow factor involved.

Ward, the new Pensacola Washington High football coach and 1993 Heisman Trophy winner, arranged to have the current Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston help him with connecting to kids.

The two generations of Florida State's football success and two-sport stardom spoke with kids and parents during the first Charlie Ward Mentor Leadership Football Camp at Washington High's football field. All of the kids were in first through eighth grade.

No teenagers or high school kids were permitted to avoid any potential issues with NCAA recruiting rules.

"Mr. Charlie Ward is basically my mentor," Winston said, prior to signing autographs and posing for photos for every kid and their parents at the event. "He has helped me through the season. Obviously he has been there and done everything I dreamed to do and it happened (winning Heisman, national title) for me last year.

"I wanted to support him like he supports me."

(Photo: Bill Vilona/Pensacola News Journal)

Winston said he tries to speak with kids as often as he can. He was entertaining and engaging to the youth Saturday.

Ward and Winston, while similar in their athletic feats — both led FSU to a national championship and played two sports — have completely different personalities.

"I am loud and he's a lot more laid back and sometimes you have to be like that, especially when the spotlight is on you," said Winston, who acknowledged he is trying to learn from Ward in avoiding any more off field problems in his career.

Ward, who often joked to media that "I'm a very boring person" when he played at Florida State, said he is hoping to do more events with area youth in effort to help kids. At Saturday's event, Ward encouraged fathers to attend and wanted to ensure their influence in their sons' lives.

(Photo: Bill Vilona/Pensacola News Journal)

"It's an outreach," said Ward, who chose basketball for his pro career and became a first round pick in the NBA by the New York Knicks, where he had a lengthy career at point guard.

"We want to be community oriented and a lot of things that we will continue to do will be based around my experiences that I have had," said Ward. "I have gone to camps, I have done camps and I've been part of a community outreach. I have great support here and I'm looking forward to reaching out in the community."